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BASF - The Chemical Company - is strengthening its Agricultural Products research and development facilities in Brazil, on October 29, 2007 the company inaugurated its Global Environmental and Consumer Safety Laboratory in Guaratinguetá.

BASF has invested ?3 million in this laboratory, which is part of the company's Guaratinguetá Chemical Site. It will support BASF's main agricultural labs in Ludwigshafen/Limburgerhof, Germany, and Research Triangle Park in the United States. It will conduct studies for the registration of new crop protection products with a focus on South America but also for other regions. A team of 31 professionals will study the behavior of BASF's crop protection products in the environment and conduct residue studies in crops to ensure that that the company's crop protection products are safe for users, consumers and the environment when used as directed.

"The new laboratory in Guaratinguetá represents a regional competence center in the field of registration studies, especially for actives and products we want to launch in South America, which is a key crop protection market", says Jürgen Oldeweme, head of Global Product Safety and Registration in BASF's Agricultural Products division.

"Brazil has been selected because of its strategic position in Latin America and also due to the fact that it has a highly-qualified team, with world class equipment", says Walter Dissinger, head of BASF's Agricultural Products division in Latin America. With this investment, BASF is using its knowledge of Brazilian agriculture to contribute to the development of its Agricultural Products business worldwide and to meet global product stewardship targets.

The laboratory operates under national and global certifications such as Good Laboratory Practices (GLP).